Comb-cleaner.



No. 672,757. Patented Apr. 23, l90l.

C. FLEMING, 1R. v 'coms CLEANER.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1900.)

(N0 ModeL) l a/e 36 as UNITED STATES T ATN FFICE.

COCHBAN FLEMING, JR., OF SEWIOKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMB-CLEANER SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent N 0. 672,757, dated April 23, 1901.

Application filed November 16, 1900. Serial No- 36-709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COOHRAN FLEMING, J r., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Comb-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in comb-cleaners, and

. has for its object to construct a device which may be conveniently used for the cleansing of the ordinary household combs.

Briefly described, the invention consists of a frame composed of suitable material, such as wood, bone, celluloid, or the like, and upon which parallel threads are mounted or strung, these threads being adapted to receive between them the teeth of the comb to be cleaned. Means are also provided for increasing or diminishing the tension of the threads, these means comprising a pivoted plate and a thumb-screw for altering the position of the said plate.

The method in itself of cleaning a comb by the use of threads passed rapidly between the teeth of the comb is of course not new, as I am aware that such method has heretofore been in use and has been accomplished by the passing of the threads around the thumb and fingers, the threads being held extended by means of the open hand. Such a method is, however, crude and tiresome, and it is my object to construct a device for conveniently supporting the threads in position for use.

In order that the construction of my device may be clearly apparent, I will describe the same in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved comb-cleaner. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, the handle being in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the cleaner, showing a modified form of cleaner-brush. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the cleaner-brushes employed in the preferred form of construc tion. Fig. 6 is a like view of a modified form of cleaner-brush.

To construct a comb-cleaner in accordance with my invention, I provide a frame, consisting of an integral back 1, handle 2, and extensions or bridges 3 3, one at either end of the back. These extensions are of sufiicient height to provide the spaces into which the teeth of the comb may fall without striking the back during the process of cleaning. As I have herein shown, the back, handle, and bridges are constructed from a solid piece of material, though it may of course be evident that the bridges maybe made from a separate piece of material and firmly secured in their position upon the back. On the inner faces of the extensions or bridges 3 I preferably mount a facing 1, which may be composed of velvet or like material, which acts as cleaners to remove the refuse from the teeth of the comb. In the outer end of the frame I mount a row of pins 5, and around these pins are passed the securing ends of the threads 6, these threads being carried to the opposite or handle end of the cleaner, where they are attached to a similar row of pins 7, carried by the plate 8, having motion or partial revolution upon its axis. This is accomplished by providing the plate at each end with a lug or ear 9, apertured to receive a small shaft 10, extending through the bridge 3 at the handle end of the frame and journaled at its ends into the said lugs or ears 9. This plate has a downwardly-extending portion, which is provided with an oblong slot 11, in which operates the screw 12, having a thumb-nut 14 on its outer end, with its threaded end operating in the threaded socket 15, which is countersunk in the outer face of the bridge 3 at the handle end of the frame. It will be observed that as this screw is operated by means of its thumb-nut upon being screwed inwardly the handle forces the downwardly-extending portion of the plate toward the bridge, drawing the upper edge of the plate outwardly toward the handle, and thus tightens or in,- creases the tension of the threads.

At the point where the threads 6 pass onto the bridges 3 I provide cleaner'brushes 16, which consist of a piece of wire having both ends bent at right angles to the body portion and sharpened, so that they may be driven into the bridge. These wires are covered with velvet orlike material,which will remove the refuse from the teeth of the comb in the same manner as the facing 4.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified form of cleanerbrush, and in Fig. 6 I show a detail view of the same. This cleaner-brush is pivoted, so that it may swing outwardly off the threads, as shown in Fig. 4 of the'drawings. It likewise consists of a wire 17, the ends of which are first bent at, right angles and then parallel to the body portion of the Wire, and the latter covered with a velvet or like material 18. The ends 19, projecting'inwardly toward each other, are mounted in the ends of the bridges, so that the cleaner-brush may, be swung on its pivot, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

It is thought the construction and operation. of the device will be clearly apparent when the foregoing description is taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that to clean the comb it only requires a rapid striking of the comb upon the threads and the moving of the. teeth upon the threads in the direction parallel to their length.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character described, the combination with the back-carrying bridges, of aplate pivoted to one of said bridges, means engaging the plate and the bridge carrying the same for adjusting the position of the plate, a series of threads connected to the plate and to the opposite bridge, and pivoted cleanerrbrushes carried by the bridges, substantiaily as described. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

COOHRAN FLEMING, JR.

Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, E. E. POTTER. 

